There are conventional game systems with which one can give input commands for a plurality of directions in a game space. For example, there are games in which one can give commands for a plurality of moving directions of a player character in the game space and the viewpoint (virtual camera) using two direction input mechanisms (a stick, a button, etc.). In such a game, it is possible to specify a movement of the player character in the forward-backward direction and a rotation thereof in the left-right direction by using a stick provided on a controller, for example. It is further possible to specify a translating movement of a player character in the left-right direction and a change in the viewing direction in the up-down direction by using a direction-input button provided on the controller.
With the game operation method above, however, since the moving direction of an object or a virtual camera is controlled only with two direction input mechanisms, it is not possible to give an input command for a particular direction, and the number of directions for which commands can be given at the same time may not be sufficient. Specifically, with the game operation method above, it is not possible to give a command for moving the player character in the up-down direction. In order to make it possible to give commands for multiple directions, one may assign a single input command to two different directions in the game space so that the two different directions can be switched from one to another in response to a switching operation. However, this method requires a switching operation, and it is therefore not possible to simultaneously give input commands for the two different directions. As described above, with conventional games, a player may not be able to comfortably perform input operations for giving input commands for a plurality of directions.
Therefore, the present specification discloses a game system, a game device, a storage medium storing a game program, and a game process method with which it is possible to improve the controllability in giving input commands for a plurality of directions.
(1)
An example game system described in the present specification includes a first controller device, and a game process section for performing a game process based on an operation on the first controller device.
The first controller device includes a plurality of direction input sections, a sensor section, and a display section. The sensor section obtains a physical quantity used for calculating an attitude of the first controller device. The display section displays a game image.
The game process section includes an attitude calculation section, a camera attitude control section, a camera position control section, and an image generation section. The attitude calculation section calculates the attitude of the first controller device based on the physical quantity obtained by the sensor section. The camera attitude control section controls an attitude of a virtual camera in a virtual space based on the attitude of the first controller device. The camera position control section controls a position of the virtual camera based on an input on the direction input section. The image generation section generates the game image to be displayed on the display section based on the position and the attitude of the virtual camera.
The “first controller device” is a concept including any device which has a direction input section, a sensor section, and a display section, and is a concept including a terminal device of the embodiment to be described below and a portable game device of (18) below.
The “game system” may be any system including a first controller device and a game process section, and the game system may be a plurality of devices as shown in the embodiment to be described below or (15) to (17) below, or may be a single game device such as the portable game device of (18) below.
The “direction input section” may be any input device capable of making inputs at least in two directions, e.g., the up-down direction and the left-right direction, such as a cross button, a touch panel or a touch pad, as well as an analog stick of the embodiment to be described below.
The “physical quantity” may be any quantity as long as it is possible to calculate (estimate) the attitude of the controller device based on the quantity. The “sensor section” may be any section as long as it is capable of detecting such a “physical quantity. For example, the “sensor section” may be an inertia sensor such as the angular velocity sensor or the acceleration sensor of the embodiment to be described below, or it may be a magnetic sensor or a camera. In a case in which the sensor section is a magnetic sensor, the azimuthal direction information detected by the magnetic sensor corresponds to the physical quantity. In a case in which the sensor section is a camera, a value regarding a captured image (e.g., pixel values) or a value obtained from the image (e.g., the position coordinates of a predetermined image-capturing object in the captured image) corresponds to the physical quantity.
The “camera position control section” may calculate the position of the virtual camera directly from an input on the direction input section, or may control the position of the virtual camera in accordance with the position of the predetermined object which is controlled based on an input on the direction input section as in (2) below or the embodiment to be described below.
With the configuration (1) above, the position of the virtual camera is controlled by operations on a plurality of direction input sections, and the attitude of the virtual camera is controlled by an operation of changing the attitude of the first controller device. That is, the player can give a plurality of different direction input commands using a plurality of direction input sections, and can give a direction input command also by an operation of changing the attitude of the first controller device. Moreover, the player can simultaneously move and rotate the virtual camera by simultaneously giving these direction input commands. As described above, with the configuration (1) above, it is possible to improve the controllability in giving input commands for a plurality of directions.
With the configuration (1) above, since the attitude of the virtual camera is controlled based on the attitude of the first controller device, the player can change the viewing direction of the game image displayed on the first controller device in an easy and intuitive operation by performing the operation of changing the attitude of the first controller device.
(2)
The game process section may further include an object control section for controlling a position of a predetermined object in the virtual space based on an input on the direction input section. Then, the camera position control section controls a position of the virtual camera so that the predetermined object is included in a viewing field range of the virtual camera.
With the configuration (2) above, the player can move the predetermined object (and the virtual camera) by an operation on the direction input section, and can change the viewpoint and the viewing direction with which to view the predetermined object by an operation of changing the attitude of the first controller device. Thus, it is possible to easily perform a game operation of looking over the object's surroundings while moving the predetermined object.
(3)
The object control section may control an attitude of the predetermined object based on an input on the direction input section. Then, when the attitude of the predetermined object is changed by the object control section at least for a predetermined direction, the camera attitude control section changes the attitude of the virtual camera so that the attitude of the predetermined object and the attitude of the virtual camera are matched with each other for the predetermined direction.
With the configuration (3) above, the player can change the attitude of the predetermined object by an operation on the direction input section. With the configuration (3) above, when the attitude of the predetermined object is changed by an operation on the direction input section for the predetermined direction, the attitude of the virtual camera is also changed so as to be matched with the attitude of the predetermined object. Then, since the direction of the predetermined object and the direction of the virtual camera are matched with each other for the predetermined direction, it is possible to avoid awkwardness due to the viewing direction in the game image being different from the direction of the controlled object (the object) included in the game image, thereby further improving the controllability of the object.
(4)
When the attitude of the virtual camera is changed for a predetermined direction in response to a change in an attitude of the first controller device, the object control section may change the attitude of the object so that the attitude of the predetermined object and the attitude of the virtual camera are matched with each other for the predetermined direction.
With the configuration (4) above, when the attitude of the virtual camera is changed by an operation of changing the attitude of the first controller device for the predetermined direction, the attitude of the predetermined object is also changed so as to be matched with the attitude of the virtual camera. Thus, since the direction of the predetermined object and the direction of the virtual camera are matched with each other for the predetermined direction, it is possible to avoid awkwardness due to the viewing direction in the game image being different from the direction of the controlled object included in the game image, thereby further improving the controllability of the object.
(5)
When the attitude of the virtual camera changes in response to a change in the attitude of the first controller device for the predetermined direction at least at a predetermined velocity or more, the object control section may match the attitude of the object and the attitude of the virtual camera with each other by gradually changing the attitude of the object so as to follow the virtual camera.
With the configuration (5) above, the object control section can change the attitude of the object gradually so as to follow the attitude of the virtual camera when the attitude of the virtual camera has changed at least at a predetermined velocity or more. Therefore, if the attitude of the virtual camera changes at a lower velocity than the predetermined velocity, the attitude of the object may be changed so as to be matched with the attitude of the virtual camera (with no delay) or the attitude of the object may be changed gradually so as to follow (with a delay) the attitude of the virtual camera.
With the configuration (5) above, when the attitude of the virtual camera is changed by an operation of changing the attitude of the first controller device at a predetermined velocity or more, the attitude of the object is changed gradually so as to follow the attitude of the virtual camera. Then, since it is possible to prevent the attitude of the object from abruptly changing so as to be matched with the change in the attitude of the virtual camera, it is possible to prevent the action of the object from being unnatural.
(6)
The object control section controls a movement of the predetermined object in a predetermined first moving direction that has a component of a viewing direction of the virtual camera in response to a first direction input on a first direction input section of the first controller device. Together with this, the object control section may control a movement of the predetermined object in a second moving direction that is perpendicular to the first moving direction and corresponds to a screen up-down direction of the display section in response to a second direction input on a second direction input section of the first controller device.
The “first moving direction” is not limited to the direction parallel to the viewing direction, but may be any direction which has a component of the viewing direction of the virtual camera. The “second moving direction” may be any direction as long as it is a direction perpendicular to the first moving direction, and is such a direction that the predetermined object appears as if it were moving in the screen up-down direction on the screen when the predetermined object moves in that direction.
With the configuration (6) above, the player can perform operations on the first direction input section and the second direction input section so as to move the predetermined object in the viewing direction of the virtual camera and also in the screen up-down direction. Then, since the player can simultaneously move the object both in the screen depth direction and in the up-down direction, it is possible to further improve the controllability in moving the object in the three-dimensional space.
(7)
The object control section may control a movement of the predetermined object in a third moving direction that is perpendicular to the first and second moving directions in response to a third direction input on one of the first and second direction input sections.
With the configuration (7) above, since the player can move the predetermined object in any direction in the three-dimensional space by performing operations on two direction input sections, the operation of moving an object in a three-dimensional space can be made even easier.
(8)
The object control section may control an attitude of the object in response to a fourth direction input on the other one of the first and second direction input sections.
With the configuration (8) above, the player can not only move the object in any direction in the three-dimensional space by means of the direction input section, but also change the attitude of the object.
(9)
The direction input section may be such that at least up, down, left and right directions can be input with the direction input section. Then, the first direction input and the second direction input are inputs in the up-down direction. The third direction input and the fourth direction input are inputs in the left-right direction.
With the configuration (9) above, since movements of the object corresponding to the screen depth direction and the up-down direction are made in response to inputs on the direction input section in the up-down direction, player can easily operate the object with a natural control feel.
(10)
The first controller device may further include a depressible key operation section. Then, the object control section has the predetermined object execute a predetermined action in response to a key operation on the key operation section.
With the configuration (10) above, the player can have the object execute a predetermined action by an operation on the key operation section. Then, it is possible to easily perform a game operation of having a predetermined object execute a predetermined action with appropriate timing while moving the object and looking over the object's surroundings.
(11)
The first controller device may further include a touch panel provided on a screen of the display section. Then, the object control section has the predetermined object execute a predetermined action in response to an operation on the touch panel.
With the configuration (11) above, the player can have the object execute a predetermined action by an operation on the touch panel. Then, it is possible to easily perform a game operation of having a predetermined object execute a predetermined action with appropriate timing while moving the object and looking over the object's surroundings.
(12)
The plurality of direction input sections may be a first direction input section and a second direction input section provided on a left and a right side of the display section. Then, with each direction input section, an input operation can be performed by moving an operation member that is movable in any two-dimensional direction.
With the configuration (12) above, since two direction input sections are provided on a left and a right side of the display section, the player can perform operations on the two direction input sections and perform an operation of changing the attitude of the first controller device, by holding the left side and the right side of the screen. Then, it is easier to simultaneously perform these operations, and it is therefore possible to improve the controllability of the first controller device. The player can make subtle direction inputs by input operations on the operation member.
(13)
The sensor section may include an inertia sensor.
The “inertia sensor” may be any inertia sensor, e.g., a three-axis acceleration sensor, or a three-axis gyrosensor.
With the configuration (13) above, with the use of the inertia sensor, it is possible to precisely detect the movement and the attitude of the first controller device.
(14)
In response to a predetermined operation specifying a position on a screen of the display section, the game process section performs a process of shooting at a position in the virtual space corresponding to the specified position.
With the configuration (14) above, in a shooting game where a player shoots at the screen, the player can easily move the viewpoint of the game image and change the viewing direction thereof by game operations using the first controller device. That is, with the configuration (14) above, it is possible to provide a shooting game with which it is easy to perform, with the first controller device, complicated operations of moving the viewpoint and changing the viewing direction.
(15)
The game system may include a game device and one or more second controller device. The game device includes the game process section and outputs a game image to a predetermined display device different from the display section. The second controller device is a controller device different from the first controller device. Then, the game process section performs a game process based on an operation on the first controller device and an operation on the second controller device. The image generation section generates a game image to be displayed on the display section, and a game image to be displayed on the predetermined display device.
The “game device” may be any information processing device capable of performing game processes to generate an image based on the game processes. The game device may be a single-purpose information processing device for games, or a general-purpose information processing device such as an ordinary personal computer.
The “second controller device” may be any controller device with which the player can make inputs for game operations, as well as the controller of the embodiment to be described below.
With the configuration (15) above, it is possible to provide a multi-player game in which a player (referred to as the “first player”) who controls the first controller device plays the game looking at the game image displayed on the display section, whereas a player (“second player”) who controls the second controller device plays the game looking at the game image displayed on the predetermined display device. Since the first player can freely change the viewing direction by changing the attitude of the first controller device, the first player can look around across a wide area in the virtual space. Therefore, for example, even when there are a plurality of second controller devices, and a single first player and a plurality of second players play against each other, it will not be excessively disadvantageous for the first player, and therefore the configuration (15) above can be applied advantageously to one-on-many battle games.
(16)
The game process section may have a first object, which is moved in any three-dimensional direction in the virtual space based on an input on the direction input section, execute a shooting action based on an operation on the first controller device, and have a second object, which can move on a predetermined plane in the virtual space, execute a moving action and a shooting action based on an operation on the second controller device.
The “first object” may be any object as long as it can move in any three-dimensional direction in the virtual space based on an operation on the first controller device, as well as the helicopter of the embodiment to be described below.
The “second object” may be any object as long as it can move along a predetermined plane in the virtual space (e.g., the ground formed in the virtual space) based on an operation on the first controller device, as well as the player object of the embodiment to be described below.
With the configuration (16) above, it is possible to realize a shooting game of a type in which a first object, which is capable of three-dimensionally moving across the virtual space, and a second object, which is capable of moving along a predetermined plane in the virtual space, battle against each other. Herein, the player who controls the first controller device can move the first object in the forward-backward, left-right and up-down directions of the three-dimensional space, and can freely change the viewing direction (shooting direction). That is, the player can easily perform operations for executing a moving action and a shooting action of the first object with the first controller device.
(17)
The game system may include a game device including the game process section. Then, the game device includes an image transmitting section for compressing and wirelessly transmitting the game image. The first controller device includes an image receiving section for receiving and expanding the compressed game image which is transmitted by the image transmitting section. The display section displays the game image expanded by the image receiving section.
With the configuration (17) above, a game system is constructed with a first controller device which is held by the player, and a game device separate from the first controller device. Herein, the processing load on the first controller device can be kept low within a predetermined range since the first controller device may only need to expand the image data, and game processes can be performed by the game device. Since the first controller device is not required to have high information processing capabilities, it is easy to reduce the size and weight of the first controller device, which is held by the player, thereby facilitating the manufacture thereof. Moreover, with the configuration (17) above, since the game image is transmitted from the game device to the first controller device in a compressed form, the game image can be wirelessly transmitted at a high speed, and it is possible to reduce the delay from when a game process is performed until a game image is displayed.
(18)
The first controller device may be a portable game device including the game process section.
With the configuration (18) above, it is possible to implement a game system with a portable game device.
The present specification discloses an example game device including a game process section in the game system of (1) to (18) above. The present specification also discloses an example computer-readable storage medium storing a game program instructing a computer of the game device to execute functions equivalent to various portions in the game process section. The present specification further discloses an example game process method to be carried out by the input system or game system of (1) to (18) above.
With the game system, the game device, the storage medium storing a game program, and the game process method described above, it is possible to control the position of the virtual camera by operations on a plurality of direction input sections, and control the attitude of the virtual camera by an operation of changing the attitude of the first controller device. Thus, it is possible to simultaneously perform operations on a plurality of direction input sections and an operation of changing the attitude of the first controller device, thereby improving the controllability in giving input commands for a plurality of directions.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.